Dataset#2 Bone pathologies of modern non-working cattle (Bos taurus) in the context of grazing systems and environmental influences (based on materials from the South Urals, Russia)

The dataset#2 is devoted to the results of studying pathologies on the bones of modern cattle and environmental conditions in the valley of the Karagaily-Ayat river. The dataset#2 contains graphs, diagrams and images of current environmental conditions, grazing systems and pathologies of the bones of cattle from the valley of the Karagaily-Ayat River. This Dataset is a part of the article ""Bone pathologies of modern non-working cattle (Bos taurus) in the context of grazing systems and environmental influences (based on materials from the South Urals, Russia)""" Abstract: The aim of the work is to assess the forms and boundaries of development of age-related changes and bone pathologies in modern non-working cattle for the possibility of using the results in the analysis of archaezooological collections and in the reconstruction of the working cattle exploitation in antiquity. Study area is located in the steppe zone of the Southern Urals on the territory of Russia near the border with Kazakhstan. About 300 bones of modern cattle were analyzed, most of which are represented by metapodials and phalanxes. When analyzing the material, various archaezoological methods were used to reconstruct the size of animals and describe pathologies. The main results of the work are evidence that minor lipping and exostoses of metapodials and phalanxes, as well as ankylosis and hip joint eburnation, are typical for non-working cattle. In rare cases, lipping and exostoses of 3-4 stages are observed. Another important result is the discovery of the relationship between osteophagia and pathologies of the dentition of cattle. The analyzed changes in the bones of the distal extremities cannot be used for categorical reconstruction of the working cattle when processing the archaezooological materials from archaeological sites, primarily in the East European steppe space. The study showed the vulnerability of reconstructing the working cattle exploitation based only on osteological markers. Obviously, for such reconstructions, all available evidence should be involved, and not just single pathologies of the skeletal system.

数据集#2聚焦于现代家牛骨骼病变与卡拉盖利-阿亚特河（Karagaily-Ayat）河谷环境状况的研究成果。该数据集包含卡拉盖利-阿亚特河河谷地区现代家牛的环境现状、放牧系统及骨骼病变相关的图表、示意图与影像资料。本数据集隶属于论文《放牧系统与环境影响背景下现代非役用家牛（Bos taurus）的骨骼病变——基于俄罗斯南乌拉尔地区的研究材料》。摘要：本研究旨在明确现代非役用家牛年龄相关性骨骼变化与病变的发展形式及范围，以期将研究结果应用于考古动物学（archaeozoology）馆藏标本分析，以及复原古代役用牛的劳作情况。研究区域位于俄罗斯南乌拉尔草原带，毗邻哈萨克斯坦边境。本次研究共分析约300块现代家牛骨骼，其中以掌跖骨（metapodials）与趾骨（phalanxes）为主。分析过程中，研究人员采用多种考古动物学方法重建家牛体型，并记录其骨骼病变情况。本研究的核心结果证实，掌跖骨与趾骨的轻度骨唇（lipping）、外生骨疣（exostoses），以及关节强直（ankylosis）与髋关节面象牙样变（eburnation），是现代非役用家牛的典型病变特征。极少数情况下，可观察到3~4级的骨唇与外生骨疣病变。另一项重要结果为发现了食骨癖（osteophagia）与家牛齿列（dentition）病变之间的关联。针对考古遗址（尤其是东欧草原区域）出土的考古动物学标本进行分析时，无法通过家牛远端肢体骨骼的病变特征，确定性地复原其役用情况。本研究表明，仅依靠骨骼标记物复原役用牛的劳作情况，其结果存在局限性。显然，开展此类复原工作时，应整合所有可用证据，而非仅依赖骨骼系统的单一病变特征。